Synopsis
Longlisted for the Theakston's Old Peculier Crime Novel of the Year 2021
Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.
Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother's unequal love. As men, the competition continues - for status, money, fame, women ...
They each betray each other, over and over, until one of them is dead.
But which brother killed him?
Publisher information
- Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd
- ISBN: 9780241979747
- Number of pages: 384
- Dimensions: 198 x 129 x 24 mm
- Weight: 270g
- Languages: English
Customer Reviews
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A compelling story
This is a story about three Irish brothers Brian Will and Luke all the sons of an self absorbed singer .It starts at the funeral of one of the brothers an... READ MORE
An enthralling tale
Three brothers none of whom are likeable although one maybe not quite as bad as the other two. The story starts at a funeral and we know one is dead but wh... READ MORE
Dysfunctional family drama
My first title by this author - and what an introduction! I don't think I have ever read a book that is so completely full of selfish, self-serving, cruel ... READ MORE
A brilliant page turner!
I really loved this book, I didn't think of as a psychological thriller though, but more of engrossing tale of family dynamics. Ms Nugent managed to create... READ MORE
Intriguing characters
What intriguing characters we have in this story. All the plot lines (covering many years) are written from their own personal point of view. But what awfu... READ MORE
A gripping family saga / murder mystery
Part family saga, part murder mystery, Liz Nugent's latest title, Our Little Cruelties is a discomfiting exploration of the festering resentments, internal... READ MORE
Excellent read
A real page turner and I couldn't wait to get to the end to see how it would turn out. The relationships with the brothers, the betrayals made this a rea... READ MORE
Brilliant Read
The book's main characters are three brothers, who each tell their own story of events that have happened during their lives from being children up to the ... READ MORE
Deliberate and vile characters
Will, Brian and Luke Drumm are three brothers growing up with a mother that shows noticeable favoritism. This leads them all to develop into very different... READ MORE
Meet three brothers you'll love to hate
What a brilliant book! Though this story opens with a mysterious death, unexplained until very near the end of the narrative, it is not so much a thriller ... READ MORE
The exquisite cruelty of families, devastatingly drawn
Our Little Cruelties opens with two brothers mourning the loss of a third, and unfolds as a retelling of the events - the lives - which led up to that mome... READ MORE
loved every page !!
What an amazingly good read we have here right from the first pages it draws you into a story of revenge, jealously and rivalry in a completely dysfunction... READ MORE
Our Little Cruelties - Liz Nugent
I confess I don’t usually read this type of book, which is a family history not really a mystery, so apologies if this review seems a bit naïve. The ‘same... READ MORE
This book is so much more than described
The blurb description is fairly brief, three brothers - William, Brian, Luke. One of them is dead, which of them is lying in the coffin? During their life... READ MORE
Jaw-dropping
Our Little Cruelties is a psychological thriller following Will, Brian and Luke Drumm. The story opens up with the three brothers attending a funeral, howe... READ MORE
A groping book of family loyalty and feuding
This was an excellent book. From the first page you knew that 3 brothers went to the funeral, one of them was in the coffin.
From there you got a narrativ... READ MORE
Sophisticated thriller that had me hooked from the first line
I loved the opening to this book - "All three of the Drumm brothers were at the funeral, although one of us was in a coffin." Our Little Cruelties tells t... READ MORE
A Twisty Little Number
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Our Little Cruelties, Liz Nugent's latest psychological thriller. And all I can say is... woah! Cancel all p... READ MORE
A Dysfunctional Family Story Brilliantly Written
'One brother is dead, two brothers are left. They struggle with getting along throughout their lives, constantly bickering and fighting. But which one put ... READ MORE
Liz has knocked it out of the park again
Liz Nugent is back with her fourth novel, and I have been on tenterhooks waiting to get my hands on it, so I was delighted when an email popped up to say I... READ MORE
An Epic Psychological Drama!
Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent is a brilliantly crafted novel about dysfunctional family relationships. It’s a psychological drama of epic proportions!... READ MORE
Excellent
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found the... READ MORE
A twisty little number
Thank you to Netgalley for the advance copy of Our Little Cruelties, Liz Nugent's latest psychological thriller. And all I can say is... woah! Cancel all p... READ MORE
Absorbing and thought provoking
Not her usual gripping kind of novel but this is a thought-provoking book about an unusual and dysfunctional family. The brothers are all self-absorbing a... READ MORE
As a middle child it’s so relatable
Thoroughly enjoyed the timelines described from each of the brothers own perspective. Your emotions were chopping & changing as you went through the book a... READ MORE
A book to compulsively carry on reading into the night until the concluding chapters reveal what really happened and why.
The setting is Ireland. The book begins with a funeral. Inside the coffin is one of three brothers, but we’re not told which one. So it begins…
The narr... READ MORE
A Dysfunctional Family Drama
This story is about three brothers Will, Brian and Luke Drumm. We learn of the relationships that they had with their mother, Melissa Craig, who was an act... READ MORE
Psychological thriller
This story is about the Drumm family and their dysfunctional life.
It's a psychological thriller and it has all the right things to make it a good read.
... READ MORE
Compelling drama
I was lucky to receive an advance copy of this book thanks to the publisher and NetGalley. The book immediately informs us that out of three brothers, one... READ MORE
Our Little Cruelties
There appears to be a bit of a trend of books where not only do you not know who did it but you also don't know who it was done to! When done well, this ca... READ MORE
Outstanding
Think your family might be somewhat dysfunctional? Think again. The Drumm family puts the dys into functional. The book starts at a funeral which is a cli... READ MORE
Sibling rivalry gone mad
Oh my lord. Anyone who has siblings will recognise the little digs and petty behaviour in this book but the Drumm brothers take it to a whole new level. Th... READ MORE
Marvellous
Oh my word, what a book. Three brothers, a horribly dysfunctional family, A showbiz mother and a downtrodden father. None of this should make for an electr... READ MORE
A sobering story of destructive relationships
A sobering story of destructive relationships within a family. Sporadically distancing themselves from each other, three brothers repeatedly come back to ... READ MORE
Another fantastic creation from Liz Nugent
Liz Nugent you have done it again. This was such a fantastic read. Liz does characterisation so well. And her way with words is so Irish, I love it. I can ... READ MORE
A wonderful family drama
Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.
And so begins Our Little Cruelties, a story of the Drumm brothers, Will, Brian and Luke. The st... READ MORE
Riveting
Three brothers ... only one is in a coffin. You won't know who or why until the very end of this character driven psychological family drama.
The Drumm fa... READ MORE
Addictive
Thanks to Penguin Books (UK) and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Whenever I read a Liz Nugent story my expectations are unrealistic... READ MORE
Intriguing
Having read, and enjoyed, Liz Nugent’s previous books, I was excited to start this one.
It starts on the day of the funeral of one of the three Drumm brot... READ MORE
A hard book to read but stick with it
Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother’s unequal love. As men, the competition continues – for status, money, fame, women …
They each betr... READ MORE
Brilliant book
Talk about a dysfunctional family!! This story follows 3 brothers over the decades since 1970s and how competitive they are in terms of success, love and ... READ MORE
Gripping Family Drama
This book certainly has a dark side. There is no doubt that the characters have family issues as they tell their life stories over four decades. It tells o... READ MORE
Three brothers, one murder - but who
We know from the start that one of three brothers is dead but no idea who or how.
The story is told in flashbacks by them each putting a different perspect... READ MORE
A powerful story of three brothers
I would like to thank Liz Nugent, Penguin Books and NetGalley for the ARC of Our Little Cruelties.
This powerful story of three brothers is an excellent r... READ MORE
Funny and sad but always entertaining.
Three brothers are at a funeral but one of them is in a coffin. One or even both of the living brothers is responsible for his death. That's the central ... READ MORE
A brilliantly crafted novel!
Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent is a brilliantly crafted novel about dysfunctional family relationships. It’s a psychological drama of epic proportions!... READ MORE
Tremendous!
This psychological thriller by Liz Nugent features the dysfunctional Drumm family, comprising selfish Melissa Craig and her sons, William, Brian and Luke. ... READ MORE
Highly recommended
I have read Liz Nugent before and find her highly entertaining and the storyline compulsive reading. ‘’Our Little Cruelties’ was no different and it was e... READ MORE
Complex characters and great storytelling
Our Little Cruelties is a psychological thriller with heavy emphasis on the psychological. It is testament to Liz Nugent's skill as a writer that each of t... READ MORE
Glad to finish it!
Three brothers are at a funeral. Two stand by the grave;one of them is in the coffin. Sounded a promising start & that mystery is something that the reader... READ MORE
Read this, love it!!
I commenced reading ‘Our Little Cruelties’ by Liz Nugent last night, just before going to bed. This was most definitely a mistake, because several hours la... READ MORE
Liz Nugent writes evil so well
Liz Nugent you have done it again. This was such a fantastic read. Liz does characterisation so well. And her way with words is so Irish, I love it. I can ... READ MORE
Creepy yet totally addictive
Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin.
Will, Brian and Luke grow up competing for their mother's unequal love. As men, the competition... READ MORE
Compelling family drama
Not her usual gripping kind of novel but this is a thought-provoking book about an unusual and dysfunctional family. The brothers are all self-absorbing a... READ MORE
Compelling
Three brothers. One of them is dead. Murdered by the others? Brilliant on the slow train wreck that is dysfunctional family. Brilliantly written and constr... READ MORE
Complex page-turner
I can't remember when I have ever detested the main characters so much and yet still been gripped by the book. Masterful writing makes this a complete pag... READ MORE
This book had me hooked from start to finish
I read the simple preface of this book and instantly wanted to read it. 'Three brothers are at the funeral. One lies in the coffin. Will, Brian and Luke gr... READ MORE
It’s like a labyrinth that turns this way and that...
Our Little Cruelties by Liz Nugent is a brilliantly crafted novel about dysfunctional family relationships. It’s a psychological drama of epic proportions!... READ MORE
I enjoyed this one
William, Brian and Luke are brothers in name but not in behaviour.
The book starts with one of them lying in a coffin but which one?
I can imagine that... READ MORE
The Second Sleep
I throughly enjoyed this book is a brilliant read. There is so much detail it has you at its knees. You are squeamish in your seat when reading this story.
Excellent
This is a brilliant read.
Wonderful well written plot and story line that had me engaged from the start.
Love the well fleshed out characters and found the... READ MORE
Three brothers and three different points of view.
Three brothers Luke, Brian and Will brought up in Ireland. Relationships during childhood are not straightforward and become more complicated in adulthood.... READ MORE
Exquisite storytelling from a masterful author.
Liz Nugent sure knows how to take readers to some dark and disturbing places. The Irish author has racked up #1 bestseller accolades and several awards for... READ MORE
Excellent
A real page turner and I couldn't wait to get to the end to see how it would turn out. The relationships with the brothers, the betrayals made this a rea... READ MORE
Excellent Thiller
Our Little Cruelties is Liz Nugent's best book yet. Covering the lives of three brothers, all vying for their mother's approval since childhood, the novel ... READ MORE
Love and Hate.
Three brothers are at the funeral, one of them lies in the coffin.
This is the story of three brothers in a dysfunctional family. None of the characters ar... READ MORE
Great story about 3 brothers and huge sibling rivalry!
TRIGGER WARNINGS: severe mental health, addiction, drug and alcohol abuse, rape, psychological abuse
I was very excited to be asked to be on the tour for ... READ MORE
A brilliant engrossing read
WOW, Another hit book from Liz Nugent, an author that just never lets you down. A great psychological thriller that will keep you guessing.
The story begi... READ MORE
It's a good read, recommended
A gripping and fascinating mix of family drama and thriller that kept me hooked till the end.
The author does a great job in keeping you hooked even if the... READ MORE
Excellent read!
An excellent dark and disturbing book that deals with current issues like the me too movement, mental illness etc. The dynamics within the Drumm family wer... READ MORE
Highly Recommended
The book's main characters are three brothers, who each tell their own story of events that have happened during their lives from being children up to the ... READ MORE
Very powerful writing from an author at the top of her game
Nobody writes dysfunctional families and maladjusted personalities better than Liz Nugent. She has the capacity to understand what makes people cruel and u... READ MORE
Brilliant
This is a story about three Irish brothers Brian, William and Luke, all the sons of a self-absorbed narcissist singer. it starts at the funeral of one of t... READ MORE
The wicked Drumm boys make this book thoroughly addicitive
If novels about dysfunctional families are something you like to gauge your childhood against, Our Little Cruelties might just be the book for you as it wi... READ MORE